Goal: Stop a bill in Arizona that would fund an armed militia to guard the border

Two would-be immigrants were killed crossing the border in Arizona. They were attacked and killed by an armed militia. According to a sheriff’s report, the two Mexican citizens were killed when the pickup truck they were riding in, with 30 other undocumented immigrants, was ambushed by a group wearing camouflage and armed with rifles. As tragic as the deaths of these two people is, this could become a reality along the Arizona border. Arizona legislators are considering the passage of a bill that would create and fund an armed militia to work with the Border Patrol to capture undocumented immigrants. Illegal immigration will not stop because of extra armed bodies at the border. It is time for the Arizona government to realize this, and not spend funds on arming border guards that could be used elsewhere.

The Arizona state legislature is close to passing a bill that would provide yearly funding of $1.4 million in taxpayer money to create and sustain the ‘Arizona Special Missions Unit’, better known as a volunteer armed militia to patrol the border for illegal crossers. If passed into law, Arizona would be the only state to go beyond federal government border patrol and implement state funded border enforcement. Clearly,Arizona has a history with the way they deal with immigration. Two years ago, Arizona passed a bill that requires police to question people about their immigration status if they seem to the officer that they could be here illegally.

Arizona must realize that putting guns in the hands of people who have a negative predisposition to illegal immigrants will result in unnecessary violence and deaths. Furthermore, spending a significant portion of taxpayer dollars on an armed militia instead of on Arizona’s failing schools and economic structure makes no sense.

By signing this petition you are asking Governor Brewer to not sign this bill, creating a volunteer armed border militia, into law in Arizona.

PETITION LETTER

Dear Governor Brewer,

Recently, two would-be immigrants were killed by a camouflaged and armed group who ambushed the truck they were in. These tragic deaths could become a reality along the Arizona border if SB 1083 is passed into law. Illegal immigration is a problem for all the countries involved, but extra armed bodies at the border will not stop immigrants from attempting to cross and could result in similar deaths.

SB 1083 would provide $1.4 million in taxpayer dollars to create and sustain the ‘Arizona Special Missions Unit’, better known as a volunteer armed militia to patrol the border for illegal crossers. If passed into law, Arizona would be the only state to go beyond federal government border patrol and implement state funded border enforcement. Putting guns in the hands of people who have a negative predisposition to illegal immigrants will result in unnecessary violence and deaths. Furthermore, spending a significant portion of taxpayer dollars on an armed militia instead of on Arizona’s failing schools and economic structure makes no sense.

Please do not sign SB 1083 into law and stop the creation of a volunteer armed border militia in Arizona.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

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This is silly. Any state has the power to create a Militia (or whatever they wanna call it). You can’t stop them from doing it.

Its interesting to see the only comment in support of this petition seems to be a bigot. Its also interesting to see the goal has a severe bias, subtle to be sure, but bias none the less. “Mexican Citizens” indeed. Yes they may be, but ask anyone and they were illegal immigrants in the truest form of those words. They aren’t dirty words, they are a legal term, descriptive of one’s status.
Also, you can be sure they were in the US when it happened, because if the shooters had shot them before they crossed, Mexico would have had a field day with accusations, demanding the heads of those who did it. Also, the original news from that incident stated so.

Also also, that incident was from 2007(!) Additional incidents have been few and far between. Also also also, have you even read the bill??? I really don’t think those involved in the shooting will be invited into the Militia. The screening process is at least as involved as those for the military and police. and 40 hrs. training may not seem like a lot, but given most of the initial recruits are looking to be former police or military, you are talking about potentially decades of experience per person, certainly much more professional training than most border patrol.

If the public can’t stop something from happening than I suppose all forms of public action (including petitions) are pointless. Furthermore, The fact that illegal immigration is a problem is stated in the text (please see the letter). What is suggested is that the method of dealing with the problem is not going to do much to solve the illegal immigration problem. Regardless of when or how often deaths occur does not excuse the fact that people have died. Illegal or not, death by shooting is not a circumstance that should be brushed under the rug because it only happens once in a while. Illegal immigration is certainly a problem, what is suggested in the petition is that spending large sums of taxpayer dollars on more armed bodies at the border is not the way to solve it. Throwing money and guns at a problem is rarely a good solution to anything.